Erik ten Hag names three alternative striker options for Man Utd after Rasmus Hojlund injury
- Man Utd without Rasmus Hojlund until September due to injury
- Joshua Zirkzee just joined up with new teammates and could take time to adapt to English football
- Erik ten Hag called on three players to fill the void in the meantime
By Sean Walsh
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is ready to call on Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford as makeshift strikers while Rasmus Hojlund is injured and Joshua Zirkzee gets up to speed.
Hojlund strained his hamstring during a pre-season defeat to Arsenal and is not expected to return until after the September international break. Zirkzee, meanwhile, joined up with some of his new teammates for the first time since joining from Bologna, reconvening with a small group of players at the club's Carrington training base while most were still on tour in the USA.
Earlier this summer, Ten Hag decided to reintegrate Sancho into the first team after his exile for the first half of the 2023/24 season and subsequent loan to Borussia Dortmund.
When Ten Hag was asked whether Sancho could be deployed as a striker while United lack a natural option up front, he replied: "That is what we can do if we don’t have the availability of Rasmus.
"Of course, Joshua Zirkzee is coming in. He has started training. But he is not so long in training so it will take time and he has to adjust to English football and our way of playing.
"Jadon can of course play as a striker. He can also play in wide areas but it could be he is a good option.
"I think Marcus has done it before, he can do it and it is definitely an option. But I think he is more productive from the left inside, when he is coming inside, so when he can arrive there he is most effective.
"But we also have Bruno Fernandes as a striker as well."
Ten Hag's lack of striker options has already led to winger Rashford and playmaker Fernandes playing as strikers during his United tenure so far, while midfielder Scott McTominay has also been utilised as a centre forward.
United's first game back in England comes this Saturday when they take on rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley. They will then open the Premier League season the following Friday at home to Fulham.
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